Squeeze Drop Third Straight Contest
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — The Winter Garden Squeeze fell to the Leesburg Lightning, 7-3, on Monday night at Horizon High School as a four-run third inning proved to be the difference.
The loss dropped Winter Garden to 2-6 on the season, while Leesburg improved to 8-1.
Right-hander Rylee Gibson (The Citadel) made his first start of the summer after opening the season with 5 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. The Lightning threatened immediately in the first inning but were unable to capitalize.
With runners on the corners and one out, Ayden Elixson (Flagler) helped turn a 3-6 double play to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
Leesburg broke through in the second. Marcello Cortale (Undecided) led off with a single and later scored on an RBI base hit by Turner Gross (Western Carolina), giving the Lightning a 1-0 lead.
The visitors created separation in the third inning. Cory Banasiak (Seminole State) opened the frame with a single, and after Leesburg loaded the bases, Hudson Reed (Troy) cleared them with a three-run double down the left-field line. The rally pushed the Lightning's advantage to 5-0.
Winter Garden responded in the bottom half of the inning. Osjun Rivas (Undecided) singled and later scored on an RBI single by Javier Calzadilla (Undecided), trimming the deficit to 5-1.
The Squeeze continued to chip away in the fifth. Brody Bellomo (Georgia Southwestern) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning before Cael Reish (Flagler) doubled down the left-field line to put runners on second and third.
Rivas drove in Bellomo with a groundout, and Fabian Antonsanti (Stetson) followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Leesburg answered with two insurance runs in the seventh inning. Kaden Thompson (Georgia Southern), the reigning Florida League Hitter of the Week, lined an RBI single up the middle before Charlie Keller (Ball State) added a sacrifice fly to account for the final margin.
The Lightning finished with 14 hits on the night, while the Squeeze were unable to mount another rally against the Leesburg bullpen.
Winter Garden will conclude its five-game homestand Tuesday against the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Horizon High School.
Zach Moore (University of Florida)